Black Superintendents’ Perceptions On The Effectiveness Of Diversity And Equity Professional Development In New Jersey Schools, Tanisha Hinton

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Providing an accessible and equitable education for all students has been an ongoing process mandated by the Managing for Equality and Equity initiative to close the achievement and opportunity gaps among students. This qualitative study examined Black superintendents' perspectives about the effectiveness and impact of diversity, equity, and inclusive initiatives in majority White staffed school districts in New Jersey. Furthermore, the study explored the perceptions of Black superintendents across different regions of New Jersey to understand if there were significant differences in how DEI initiative was perceived. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 Black superintendents and the data was analyzed …

Educating For Equitable Voting, Leah M. Bueso, Erica R. Hodgin, Joseph Kahne, Abby Kiesa

Democracy & Education

Voting instruction typically provided to students is focused on educating for informed voting, but we believe it is essential that schools educate for informed and equitable voting. Indeed, in a well-functioning democratic society, participants need to be prepared to engage in critical, but civil, discourse with and about people who look and think differently from themselves, which necessitates learning about issues of equity. Drawing on the efforts of 20 in-service educators to promote equitable voting ahead of the 2020 election, this study examines the ways in which participants incorporated issues of equity into their instruction and the conditions that supported …

Reconceptualizing Quality Early Care And Education With Equity At The Center, Mark Nagasawa, Cristina Medellin-Paz

Straus Center for Young Children & Families

Issue 51 of the Bank Street Occasional Papers Series is a response to Gunilla Dahlberg, Peter Moss, and Alan Pence’s 25-year interrogation of the concept of quality in early childhood education (ECE) (Dahlberg et al., 1999, 2013, 2023). Their groundbreaking work has called early childhood educators to question deeply held assumptions about the universality of childhood and how these shape the standardization of practices in early childhood settings around the world. They have argued that the homogenization of ECE practices is a factoryization of early childhood that undermines cultural pluralism and the field’s equity aspirations. This raises an imperative to …

Defining Experiential: Higher Education Educator Perspectives On Experiential Education Criteria And Experiential Learning Forms, Paul Gaszak

Dissertations

In the field of experiential education, there is a general understanding that concepts and definitions of experiential education and experiential learning differ by individuals, departments, organizations, and institutions. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research study was to gather the perspectives of individual experiential educators across higher education (n = 121) on what they perceive to be experiential education’s criteria and what forms of educational methodologies qualify as experiential learning forms. The findings demonstrated inclusive perspectives regarding both criteria and forms, such as receptiveness to experiential education being able to occur within classrooms, in short durations, and without third-party participation. …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities (SWD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain significantly lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of SWD in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. Data collected through the e-survey with open-ended questions primarily came from directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, collaboration, consultation, …

Cultivating Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Approaches To Social And Emotional Learning For Students With Or At-Risk For Emotional And Behavioral Dis/Abilities, Sharde Theodore, Lindsay Romano, Fanica Young, Danica Moise, Tahnee Wilder

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

School policies are largely driven by perceptions and expectations for how students should behave academically and socially, yet these practices often lack the cultural relevance and sustainability required to support racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RELD) students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral dis/orders (EBD). Similarly, many evidence-based practices for behavior do not consider internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, toxic stress), exemplifying a critical need for equitable practices aimed at supporting the prosocial and emotional needs of RELD students with or at risk for EBD. Given the multifaceted social, emotional, and behavioral needs of RELD students with or at …

A Time To Create Change: A Case Study Of Culturally Relevant Education, Colleen Kopay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An opportunity gap exists in the United States school system where students of color score lower on standardized tests and have fewer opportunities than their white counterparts. Culturally Relevant Education (CRE) theory attempts to close this gap, and is defined by Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) as

Pedagogy that rests on three criteria or propositions: (a) Students must experience academic success; (b) students must develop and/or maintain cultural competence; and (c) students must develop a critical consciousness through which they challenge the status quo of the current social order (p. 160).

In short, CRE is the use of culture, rigor, and critical …

Equity Requires Action: Principals’ Use And Value Of Culturally Proficient Educational Practice, Jaime E. Welborn Ph.D., Peter Flores Iii, Ed.D.

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This quantitative, descriptive study investigated K-12 public school principals' perceptions regarding the degree to which they use and value practices related to cultural competence in their roles as school leaders. While an abundance of literature regarding leadership in education, disparities in educational outcomes, and school change exists, inequities in policy and practice perpetuate academic and social setbacks for some of our nation's youth Using the lens of the Cultural Proficiency Framework, specifically the Essential Elements, this study aimed to address the research questions and add to the literature by examining (1) the school principals' value in using culturally competent practices; …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Disabled Students’ Experiences With Online Course Accessibility During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jason Altmann

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF DISABLED STUDENTS’

EXPERIENCES WITH ONLINE COURSE ACCESSIBILITY

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jason Altmann, Ed.D.

Department of Counseling and Higher Education

Northern Illinois University, 2024

Xiaodan Hu, Director

This dissertation presents a qualitative case study exploring the experiences of disabled students with online course accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study investigates how the abrupt shift to online learning impacted the accessibility of educational materials and support services for disabled students in a large, suburban community college.

Critical Disability Theory (CDT) framework was utilized to guide interview questions and explore the connection between the initial …

An Evaluation Of The Process For Assigning Standardized Testing Accommodations For Students With Autism, Lisa Ober

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the process for assigning standardized testing accommodations for students with autism on the standard course of study. The study captured current levels of teacher understanding, their perceptions regarding how testing accommodations might increase equitable access for students with autism, and how these beliefs influence the process of assigning accommodations. The study identified key themes surrounding current processes and equity through qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews with exceptional children and general education teachers and observation of professional learning communities and individualized education plan meetings. The findings revealed that inadequate teacher training and the lack of universal protocols for …

Centering Equity Within Principal Preparation And Development: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Meagan S. Richard, Shelby Cosner

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Throughout the globe, there is growing attention being paid to issues of equity and efforts to produce more equitable student learning outcomes in schools, and much of the scholarship internationally has begun to center school leaders as key drivers of more equitable conditions. Indeed, in the United States, persistent inequities in education have highlighted the need for K-12 principals who can effectively support diverse students. Effective leader preparation and development, particularly with a focus on equity, is crucial, as it equips school leaders with the knowledge and skills to create inclusive and equitable learning environments. U.S.-based research highlights that high-quality, …

Campus Leaders’ Support Of Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Strategies: Single Exploratory Case Study, Charmon L. Barksdale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study addressed the growing concern regarding the disproportionate suspension rates experienced by African American students. The problem addressed in this study was the variation in leadership support for teachers implementing culturally responsive classroom management strategies to manage culturally diverse student behaviors. This is important to African American students' educational experiences within the learning environment. This exploratory single case study examined school leaders' and teachers' perspectives on the use of culturally responsive strategies to answer the research questions regarding the definition and descriptions of culturally responsive practices, participants' perspectives on the benefits and challenges of these practices, and the …

The Potential Of Humor To Joyously Dismantle Ableism+: Considerations For Social Workers, Mia Ocean

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social workers are often well-positioned but not adequately equipped to disrupt, unsettle, or counteract ableism. Humor is one approach to disability justice work that can move the social work profession forward in a novel way. Within this practice brief, I use first-person narrative to illustrate the potential and limitations of humor to dismantle ableism+ in everyday interactions between social workers, clinical social work practice, and policy transformation. First, I share an example of how to use humor as a direct, call-in strategy to confront social worker-initiated ableist interactions. Second, I describe how a mixed disabled/abled couple can laugh together at …

Exploring Perceptions Of Advanced Coursework Enrollment Practices: A Multiple Case Study, Tomika Ferguson, David B. Naff, Jenna Lenhardt, Amy E. Jefferson, Isaiah Moore, Andrea Herndon, Richard Ashburn, Jessica Harris, Jenna Conlee, Courtney Forstmann

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium highlights findings from a multiple case study exploring enrollment practices related to advanced coursework matriculation in a suburban middle school and rural high school. In connection with the MERC Equitable Access and Support for Advanced Coursework study, this multiple case study included perspectives from students, parents, and educators as they reflected on the factors that support and inhibit access for advanced courses in their schools.

Payday Power-Up: Let's Make A Raise Distribution, Ayse Ozturk

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study illustrates a problem-solving activity reflective of a real-life situation wherein high school students articulate their reasoning while contemplating the effectiveness and fairness of distributing raises. Study data were gathered via teaching experiment methodology in problem-solving sessions at a mathematics camp for secondary students. Examination of the data indicated that students sought entry points for problem-solving by making assumptions and pinpointing crucial variables. Framing mathematics within the concept of fairness encouraged students to review their work, engage in active listening, and find purpose in mathematical reasoning.

Inclusive Education For All: Identifying Teacher Beliefs About Working With Students With Disabilities, Chelsea Sharek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs K-12 teachers have when working with students with disabilities in a rural Pennsylvania school district. This study aimed to identify if teachers’ personal beliefs created biases about their students and school systems; thus, forming barriers and preventing an inclusive education when working with disabled students. Instrumentation for this quantitative study is the Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) survey. Findings suggest that some teachers at Sunnyside School District (pseudonym) hold personal beliefs that could create biases about their students and school system that may form barriers when working with …

Our Lives Are Worth Celebrating, Darius M. Phelps, Brian Mooney

New Jersey English Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review It Takes An Ecosystem: Understanding The People, Places, And Possibilities Of Learning And Development Across Settings, Denise Montgomery

Journal of Youth Development

It Takes an Ecosystem: Understanding the People, Places, and Possibilities of Learning and Development Across Settings, edited by Thomas Akiva and Kimberly H. Robinson, is a call to take a holistic and dynamic ecosystem approach to thinking about, designing, developing, and investing in the allied youth fields to more equitably and effectively support young people’s learning and development. Published in 2022, the volume outlines a vision for out-of-school time programs and systems, schools, community-based organizations, and the public sector to move beyond focusing separately on individual systems to a learning and development ecosystem approach that more accurately and inclusively reflects …

Digitally Rural: Identifying How Technological Inequity Impacts Rural Students In First-Year Writing Courses, Jo Anna M. Nevada

English Language and Literature ETDs

To teach composition in this era means to engage students with technology; it is all but an unspoken requirement at the majority of universities. This dissertation theorizes, however, that the imbricated use of technology in first-year writing (FYW) classrooms places rural students at an inherent disadvantage, with issues of inadequate technological proficiency and inconsistent access causing a substantial learning disparity between this student population and their urban peers. Through mixed-methods data analysis of student survey responses and final FYW course portfolios, this study reveals that the expectation of technological access and presumption of digital literacy is detrimental to rural student …

Student-Centered Professional Learning: Opportunities For Action, Danica Allen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Neurodivergent (ND) and Emotionally and Behaviorally Disabled (EBD) learners struggle mightily to succeed in traditional school environments. These students are prime examples of the immediate systemic need to continue improving schools to make them more student-centered, i.e., equitable, culturally responsive, inclusive, and differentiated. The researcher is an educator with the Department of Defense Education Activity. The project places the challenges of ND/EBD learners squarely within DODEA’s “Focus Area 1: Strategic Initiative 1.1: Equitable Learning Experiences for All Students” (DODEA 2022b, p. 6). Developing adult capacities to meet the needs of ND/EBD learners will inform more student-centered learning for all. To …

Creating Inclusive Interface And Online Learning Environments, Grace Mosher

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to examine educational learning environments with a focus on new platforms of learning, course design, equity, inclusion, and user interface (ex: seeing impaired, cultural differences, gender) that includes the perspectives of students with disabilities. The evolution of learning from singular multi-age classrooms through institutional schools and into dynamic online platforms has radically reshaped the educational ecosystem (Sarkar, 2020), and there have been calls for a deeper understanding of inclusive learning practices to meet the needs of diverse students (Philips & Salem, 2021). Adams (2017) also outlines how the aesthetic interface of each learning environment impacts the quality …

Evaluating Equity: Examining Inclusionary Practices From Educational Organizations To Improve The Education Experience Of Lgbtqia+ Students, Jillian G. Torrento

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This qualitative study explored the ways in which education policy and practices within public schools are addressing the needs of minoritized populations with a particular focus on LGBTQIA+ students. This study first employed a document analysis to investigate the federal, state, and district-level equity practices that are mandated or elective in addressing the needs of marginalized populations and LGBTQIA+ students. Secondly, a critical discourse analysis was conducted to examine the specific language, word choices, and symbols found within the public documents that signify equitable practices pertaining to minoritized student populations and the LGBTQIA+ community. Ultimately, the goal of this study …

Finding Equity In Education, Isara Krieger, Carlos Hoyt, Change Cadet, Innopsych Organization

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In our program, Isara seeks to use The Highest Standard documentary film as a conversation starter with educators, educational activists, mental health professionals and students that are part of the film to discuss what tools are available and what tools that should to be created to support students of greater need in the classroom and beyond.

Write The Book! How To Share Research And Promising Practices To Support Underserved Students, Douglas Rife

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The needs of our students have grown exponentially in the last two years. Educators, community services and care givers are at a loss to support all of the academic, physical and emotional challenges our students are facing. Learn tips and processes for writing a book to share your research, experience and solutions to ensure the happiness and success of ALL students.

Together Everyone Achieves More (Team) Approach To Building A High Performance School Culture, Deadra M. Faulkner, David Zimbler

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

How do you build a school-wide culture that supports students and motivates staff on a social/emotional and instructional level? This workshop will include strategies on Leadership, Culture/Social Emotional State, and Data/Results that will assist in obtaining this achievable goal! Work with a Director of Guidance and Principal that have accomplished this important goal.

An Interactive Training Model To Promote Cultural Humility For Early Childhood Professionals, Anjali G. Ferguson, Chimdindu Ohayagha, Jackie Robinson Brock

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The disability population in the United States has grown, with an estimated 2.6 million households having at least one child with a disability in 2019 (Young, 2019). Racially minoritized children disproportionately represent disability categories with Black and Indigenous children being overdiagnosed with emotional disturbance disabilities (Oswald & Coutinho, 2001). Further, minoritized children often experience greater rates of complex trauma (Horowitz, Weine, & Jekel, 1995) and this exposure significantly impacts minoritized children’s mental health (Flannery, Wester, & Singer, 2004). Included in these social determinants of health are the impacts of racism and racial trauma. Racism has been associated with mental health …

Differential Access Of Young Children Of Immigrants To Special Education In Massachusetts, Cady Landa

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Accessing services for children with special needs is complex and challenging for even U.S.-born parents. Is it even more difficult for immigrant parents, and what are the consequences for their children? This article reports on a mixed methods approach to examining the access of immigrants’ children to special education and inclusive placement. A multivariate analysis of Massachusetts education data finds that children of immigrants are significantly less likely than children of U.S.-born parents to participate in special education. It also finds that among children who do participate in special education, children of immigrants are more likely to be in substantially …

How Do They See Me? Examining The Experiences Of Faculty In The Context Of Classroom Whiteness Factors, Papia Bawa, Diantha Watts Dr.

Journal of Research Initiatives

Today polarized attitudes and aptitudes have created a subtle but steady paradigm shift in the way equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) issues are seen by stakeholders. As a result, focusing on critical aspects of equity relationships and the fallout from discriminatory attitudes towards marginalized groups has become ever more needed. While diversity issues exist in all societal, professional, and personal realms, its impact within educational institutions is perhaps the most deeply profound. This Hermeneutic Phenomenology study examines the experiences of six higher education faculty who teach predominantly white student classrooms to identify issues and recommendations with respect to their relationship …

Acknowledgments And A Note From The Editor, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

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A Literature Review On Inclusive Pedagogy And How Instructors Can Create Inclusive And Effective Classroom Groups, Johnathan K. Hurley

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

The presented document sought to analyze the ongoing issue of inclusive policy-making in the context of group work at institutions of higher education, while providing tailored advice for students in a particular field of study on how to behave inclusively. The researcher composed an extensive literature review to answer the first query, addressing the questions of: how to define inclusivity; how to form inclusive groups; and how to maintain inclusivity in classrooms. After this step, the researcher then took undertook efforts to craft a memo advising future students in CLD 490, a senior-level course for Community and Leadership Development students, …